Don't Even Have To Ask
by kissed-by-the-muse
Summary: Just a short little tag on to the end of Con man in the Meth-Lab. "Something remained off kilter and had yet to be set back into place. It was as if someone had forced a wall of ice between us that wasn’t melting." Booth's POV. Read and review as always!


_Little Side Note: There is quite some **harsh language** at points so if you're offended by that, do not read any farther._

Don't Even Have To Ask

For a while, we just sat there, quietly eating the slice of cake that sat between us. The silence was one of peace, but not without the lingering presence of unresolved tension. We had fought, not that we hadn't before, but this time there was something different about the argument, something more intense and hurtful than any dispute we had ever had before. Something remained off kilter and had yet to be set back into place. It was as if someone had forced a wall of ice between us that wasn't melting.

She had insinuated I was a loser. It especially hurt because I full well knew how much I meant to her before then, even if she wouldn't say it directly to me, I knew. But how had such a short discussion with my brother had swayed her opinion about me? After knowing her for three and half years it hurt more than words can describe to know she thought so little of me.

It was at times like these I simply wanted to give up all my hope that we would ever be happily engaged in a relationship, one other than the one we shared at work and as partners. Three years it had taken me to realize I was in love. I will admit now, though not to her, not yet. She wasn't ready for that and by the looks of it, it didn't seem she ever would. She had slashed me with her words, and I doubt she even knows that. She shot me through the heart and made sure it still wouldn't stop beating so I could feel the pain of the bullet squirming inside of me as I still breathed and it still pumped away.

Damn Jared for making her doubt me! I almost didn't feel sorry for him when I told him I was through with being his protector. After all I was always the one to help him and all he did was instill doubt in the ones who I loved. What kind of brother would do such a fucked up thing? I wanted to hate her at that moment. I wanted to hate her for believing my bastard of a brother. I wanted to hate her so fucking bad, but I couldn't, I can't and in some ways I guess I resent her for that.

She's so perfect. She makes a mistake and somehow she managed to make me forgive her instantly with that speech of hers. That incredible speech had rekindled all hope I had lost. _"I've come to realize that the quiet man, the invisible man, the man who is always there for friends and family… That is the real alpha male. And I promise that my eyes will never be caught by those shiny bobbles again."_ That's what she had said, those wonderful words I will never forget. Glimmers of hope I had now were shining with such force they may be blinding. Perhaps she would finally see what has been there all along, with all the distractions gone.

But my happiness was short lived, because as usual Jared had to fuck things up again. Too proud to take advice that would be helping him! Typical. Never was he wrong, not in his mind, anyways. To stubborn to see what was right in front of him, plain and obvious to see. His shit was always going to be more important than sense. Sure he is family, he is my little brother, but he is truly an idiot sometimes. And that frustrated me to no end.

"I'm sorry," said a voice so softly I barely heard it above the rumblings of the busy street.

"I am truly sorry I ever doubted you Booth," she repeated.

"I know," I turned to face her. All that anger I had been feeling towards her and my brother were slowly dissolving. She looked at me, her unique pale blue eyes searching mine for acceptance. She then surprised me by pulling me into a one armed hug, her arm tightly clinging to my neck as best she could, her face next to mine. Gratefully accepting the gesture, I returned the embrace, folding my arms around her petit frame, careful not to hurt her other injured arm. Her breath pleasantly tickled my ear as she spoke.

"Forgive me, Booth?"

"You don't even have to ask, Bones."

And as I felt her smile, I knew it would be alright. The cake between us lay forgotten...

_A/N: I felt there was some unresolved tension at the end of this episode, so I wrote this to put my mind at ease. As always, it is written in Booth's POV. And yes, I know, no smoochage, but I feel this was not the time, for he was in too fragile of a state._

_Disclaimer! I own nada._

_Yup, that's it. I'll probably be writing more because I find I've missed it quite a bit._

_Also I would **LOVE** if you review, seeing as FanFiction has made it easier now than ever before! Just click below!_


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